Automatic work gripper



Aug. 2, 1932. BEAN 1,869,654

AUTOMATIC WORK GRIPPER Filed June 29. 1931 fig. .2

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Patented Aug. 2, 1932 4 i i UNITED, STATES PATENTO'FFICE Application filed June 29, 1931-. Serial No. 54=2'-,74=5.

My invention relates to improvements in igure 7 shows a modified form of the automatic work grippers and it consists in device. I I v the combinations, constructions and arrange- While I have shown only the preferred ments hereinafter described and claimed. forms of my invention I wish it to be under- 7 In the present state of the art, boards, stood that various changes and modifications 55 planks andtimber generally when manually may be made within the scope of the apmoved for sawing are gripped by the fingers pended claims without departing from the of a workman. This practice presents many spirit of my invention. inconveniences, especially when moving In its preferred form my automatic gripheavy boards, and there always exists the per generally indicated at 1 comprises a bar 60 danger to the workman of contacting slivers 2 and a frame 3. and in bringing his hands too close to the The bar 2 is of the form shown in Figures rotating saw. Time is also lost in moving 2and 3 and has one end fashioned into a the work into the path of the saw and then handle 4. The other end of the bar has two 1s inmoving the saw. lugs 5 whlch slidably' carry pins 6 as shown 65 An object of this invention is to provide In detail in F lg'ur'e 6. Springs 7 yieldingly an automatic gripper which will automatihold the plns '6 against cross-bars 8, the latter cally grip the work when the device is moved belng' sh dably received in openings 9 disin one direction and which will disengage p ed QlJ BH-ttO the lugs 5. 90 from the Work when being moved in the The-slde walls of the openings 9 extend at it di ti 3 4 an angle to the outer slde of the bar 2 so that 7 Another object of my invention is to prothe sldes of the openings and the outer side vide a gripper which can be easily adjusted of the bar form stops 10 as shown in Figure 6. for gripping boards, planks, and the like of The portions of thecross-bars 8 adjacent V v I p to the bar 2 are provided with teeth 11 on the 5 M ifi lly, the bj t f my i s desfacing the stops 10, and in cooperation tion is to provide a bar and a frame swingably h the latter Serve adjusting the e attached to the bar, so arrangedthat when v l ng h of he cross-bars 8. V the bar is pulled in one direction the work A br ce 12 connects the cross-bars 8 thus is firmly held between the frame and the bar. I g he frame a The brace 12 may so A further object of my invention is to procarry short pins 13, which are adapted to be vide a device which is extremely simple in Intr l O hem er as willbe deconstruction and efficient for the purpose scribed later. In Figure 5 I show the brace intended. g 12 being swingably attached to one of the Other objects andeadvantages will appear bars 8-by means of a screwl4 having a shank as the specification proceeds and the novel 15, which serves as=a bearing for the brace features of the device will be particularly 12. A shoulder 16 prevents the loosening of pointed out in the claims hereto annexed; the screw 14 and allows a free rotation of the My invention is illustrated in the accombrace 12. A screw 14: for each bar 8 is pro- 'panying drawing forming a part of this vided. The frame 2 free to swing around specification, in which the stops 10 to the left as shown in Figure 1, Figure 1 shows the device in operation; but the motion to the right is limited by the Figure 2 is a plan view of the device; lugs 5. The brace 12 remains parallel to the Figure 3 is a side elevation; bar 2 regardless of an angle between the 5 Figure 4 is an-end elevation; 1 cross-bars 8 and the bar 2. The distance be- Figure '5 is a section along the line 5 .5 of tween the brace 12 and the bar 2 grows Figure 2; r smaller the farther to the left the frame 2 Figure 6 is a section along theline 6 6 of is swung; v 50 Fi-gnrelgand From the foregoing descriptionof the various parts of the device the operation thereof may be readily understood.

Assume that an operator has to cut a board 17 into a number of smaller pieces of a predetermined size as illustrated in Figure 1. He adjusts a stop 18 in the proper position and then places the board 17 on a table 19. The operator then adjusts the gripper 1 so that the distance between the brace 12 and the bar 2 is slightly wider than the width of the board 17, and places the gripper over the board. The springs 7 will push the gripping frame 2 to the left, so that thepins 13 will contact with the side of the board. The operator pulls the handle 4 to the right. This movement will be relative to the brace 12 because the bars 8 will swing and will shorten the distance between the bar 2 and the brace 12. Further movement of the bar 2 will produce a gripping effect and the board 17 will be moved toward the stop 18.

The reverse movement of the bar 2 will swing the gripping frame 2 to the right until the bars 8 strike the lugs 5. The distance between the brace 12 andthe bar 2 will increase to its maximum and the pins 13 will be freed from the work. The operator continues to move the gripper until a new position is reached. The board may be cut by a saw20 after which the cut piece may be removed and the work gripper moved to the right until the work 17 again strikes the stop 18.

The bar 2 carries a pin 21 which is fastened thereto on approximately the same level as the cross bars 8. Normally it rests on the board 17. The pin 21 serves two purposes: first, it holds the handle 4 above the board 17 so that the operator may readily grasp it; and second, it makes both crossbars 8 contact with the upper surface of the board, thus assuring the proper gripping effeet.

In many instances an operator has to out thousands of pieces of the same size. My automatic gripper allows the operator to move the boards, planks, and the like with speed and ease and eliminates the tiresome and dangerous process of hand gripping.

It is obvious that the pins 13 may be omitted because there will be suflicient friction between the brace 12 and the work to produce the gripping action.

It is obvious also that the frame 3 may be provided on the other side of the bar 2 or on both sides of the bar to take care of extremely wide boards. In that case the crossbars 8 may be swingably secured to the bar 2 and the braces 12 may be adjustably secured to the cross-bars 8 as shown in Figure 7. The board then will be gripped between the twobraces 12.

Iclaim: N

1. A work gripper, comprising a bar and aframe swingably and adjustably secured thereto, said frame having a brace adapted to engage with the work when the latter is gripped and yielding means for urging the brace into engagement with the work.

2. A work gripper, comprising a bar having openings disposed adjacent to one end of the bar and having the other end formed in a handle, a frame having cross-bars adjustably and swingably received in said openings, a brace connecting the cross-bars and cooperating with the bar for gripping the work and yielding means for urging the brace toward the bar for gripping work therebetween.

3. A work gripper, comprising a bar having openings disposed adjacent to one end of the bar and having the other end formed in a handle, a frame having cross-bars adjustably and swingably received in said openings, and a brace connecting the crossbars and cooperating with the bar for gripping the work, and means urging the frame to be swung in one direction.

4. A work gripper, comprising a bar having one end fashioned into a handle and openings disposed adjacent to the other end of the bar, the walls of the openings extending at an angle to the bar so as to form angular stops, cross-bars having portions adj acent to the first bar serrated and received in the openings, means urging the serrated edges against the stops and a brace connecting the other ends of the cross-bars and cooperating with the bar for gripping the work.

5. A work gripper comprising a bar having one end fashioned into a handle, frames swingably attached to both sides of the other end of the bar, said frames adjustably carrying braces for gripping work therebetween and means for urging the frames in one direction, and yielding means for urging the braces toward each other.

6. A gripper for moving timber or the like comprising a reciprocal frame arranged for overlying a timber andyielding means for automatically moving the frame into gripping relation with the timber when the frame is moved in one direction and made to release the grip thereon when the frameis moved in the opposite direction, whereby the timber may be advanced step by step during successive reciprocating movements of the frame.

7 A work gripper comprising a bar adapted for being disposed alongside of a timber on one side of the latter, a frame swingably secured to the bar for overlying a face of the timber, a brace for gripping the opposite side of the timber from that of the bar, pins secured to the brace and adapted to engage with the timber, and yielding means urging the brace toward the bar.

8. A' work gripper comprising a bar adapted for being disposed alongside of a timber or the like on one side of the latter, a frame swingably secured to the bar for overlying a face of'the timber, a brace for gripping the opposite side of the timber I from that of the bar, and yielding means for urging the brace toward the bar.

9. A work gripper comprising a substan tially parallelogram-shaped frame having the sides thereof swingably secured together,

yielding means for urging the frame to partially collapse, and a handle extending from one of the frame sides.

10. A work gripper comprising a substantially parallelogram-shaped frame having the sides thereof swingably secured together,

yielding means for urging the frame to partially collapse, a handle extending from the frame, and a projection on the handle extending toward the frame side and serving as a stop when the frame is applied to a timber or the like.

WILLIAM H. BEAN. 

